Harry Potter and the Five Bewitchments PREVIEW
by Robert Hobbs
Summary: Alternative 5th book: I started writing this before the 5th book came out and mapped out the course of my own Harry Potter books. Join me as I take you through my own plot diverging from JK Rowlings Series after the 4 book for 3 FULL LENGHT novels


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This Book is Free Ware

This book was not written by nor is it supported by or endorsed by J.K.Rowling.

-=Unofficial Fifth Book in Epic Series=-

By Iain Riddle

(c) 2002

ADD HAGRID REFFERENCE BEFORE SIRIUS

ADD REFFERENCE TO PERCY WEASLEY BEFORE CAFÉ

PG 34 – FIND COLOUR OF HUFFLEPUFF HOUSE FOR BANNER

FIX USE OF 2 DAYS IN SORTING HAT SONG

Chapter 1 – Privet Drive

Harry sat looking out of his bedroom window at a beautifully sunny day. It was on a day like this that Harry wanted more than anything to be back at school. The sun's light fell upon a lightening bolt shaped scar on his forehead – a relic of an encounter with the most feared Dark Wizard the world had ever known. Strangely the curse, which had killed many an experienced wizard, backfired upon the Dark Lord Voldemort and rendered him bodiless. Both of Harry's parents had been killed. He had been but one year old at the time.

Harry became known as the boy who defeated the Dark Lord and was famous all throughout the wizarding world, though Harry himself knew nothing of his fame as, having no parents, he had been brought up by his Aunt and Uncle. They were non-magical people who hated Harry's magical ability (or as Uncle Vernon called it his 'abnormality') and would go to all lengths to hide their connection with anything so irregular. The Dursleys were what wizards called muggles (non-magical people) and Harry's Aunt and Uncle were among the very worst type of muggles. When he had come home for the summer after his first year at Hogwarts they had locked his school gear – Cauldron, Broomstick, wand – the lot – in the cupboard under the stairs. It was Harry's suspicion that the only reason they had not put him in the cupboard as well was for fear of what he may turn them into if they did (which was rather unfounded as human transfiguration is very difficult and far beyond any Hogwarts first year).

Then, only last year, an old supporter of Voldemorts, named Peter Pettegrew who was nicknamed Wormtail, had helped Lord Voldemort to regain his body. Now Voldemort was ready to launch his reign of terror upon the whole world. Before he lost his powers Voldemort had been on the verge of takeover. However now he was back and more terrible than ever before. Neither wizard nor muggle was safe.

Harry opened the window slightly and let the gentle summers breeze blow onto his face. He found it comforting, almost as comforting as the fact that very soon he would be heading back for his fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was Harry's Birthday in three weeks but, unlike his peers, Harry wasn't excited. He wasn't expecting the Dursleys to make a fuss of him, they never had done. 

A Loud crash coming from downstairs interrupted Harry's thoughts. It was followed by Uncle Vernon bellowing at the top of his voice.

'Dudley! How dare you go off in a tantrum like this! You've got to lose weight, Boy and throwing around the furniture won't help!'

"It must have been an accident, dear" said Aunt Petunias high but elocutionarily perfect voice "Our Dudley would never behave like that!"

Though he would never say it, experience had taught Harry that that was exactly how Dudley was likely to behave. However, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia seemed to have a remarkable blindness where Dudley's conduct was concerned. Then Dudley's voice floated up the stairs

"That's right" Came Dudley's voice, it even managed to sound repulsive "I didn't mean it – my hand slipped...I mean, I mean – It was Harry"

Harry couldn't understand how Dudley could even suggest that he had anything to do with this commotion. He had been nowhere near him. However his experience should have told him better. The Dursleys were always over-ready to blame him for things he could not possibly have done.

"Harry! Get down here this instant!"

Harry walked down the stairs (making great effort to appear calm but confused) and headed into the living room. It was immediately 

apparent what had caused all the fuss – A display cabinet, which had contained Uncle Vernon's collection of china vases, was lying flat on the ground – there were bits of glass and china all over the floor.

"Well..." said Uncle Vernon threateningly.

Turning to face his uncle Harry saw that he was positively livid. His face was red and a vein was throbbing dangerously in his temple. Dudley stood smugly by the door next to his mother, clearly enjoying seeing Harry get the blame.

"Well what?" said Harry tying his best to sound confused.

"What do you think!" said Uncle Vernon eying Harry loathingly and gesturing to the wreckage on the floor.

"I did nothing, Uncle Vernon" 

"Don't even try to deny it. What did you do, Boy! Out with it!"

"Look I already told you I didn't do anything!" sighed Harry getting exasperated

"Dudley, remind Potter of what he did!"

Dudley wore a look which looked like a cross between absolute terror and mirth "He forced me to. He took over my mind and made me do it!"

Harry's jaw dropped open at the same instant Aunt Petunia let out a loud sob and rushed over to hug her overlarge son.

"Go to your room Potter! I'll be up to talk to you later."

Harry stopped unsure of what to do. This wasn't fair, it wasn't right. He wanted to explain that he had been nowhere near Dudley at the time and...

"GO!" shouted Uncle Vernon spraying spittle from his mouth "and don't you dare so much as stick a foot out of that door until I say you can."

Seeing the situation was hopeless Harry turned and headed for his room. He was only half way up the stare case when Uncle Vernon shouted up at his retreating form.

"And don't even think about sending any letters to that Godfather of yours –Or I'll have the police onto him!"

Harry's Godfather was his father's school friend Sirius Black who had wrongly been accused of telling Lord Voldemort where to find the Potters the night he tried to kill Harry. He had escaped from Azkaban – the wizard jail, and was thought so dangerous that even the muggles had been warned to be on the lookout (they were told he had a 'gun'). Feeling very hard done by Harry returned to his room.

***

During the next few weeks Harry became very glad that his owl Hedwig had been off delivering a letter to one of his school friends, Hermione, in Bulgaria when Uncle Vernon came up the stairs to tell him off as he felt sure that he would have had her locked up and cut off Harry's communication with the wizarding world.

Harry seemed to be spending much of his time between mealtimes at his window. Perhaps it was because he expected that if he left it he would miss some urgent Owl. Perhaps he was expecting to see the dark mark (The emerald green skull with serpent tongue that was the sign of Voldemort and his supporters) shoot up into the sky at any minute. Or Perhaps it was because it reminded him that there was a world outside of Privet Drive and that one day soon he would be back within the walls of Hogwarts castle.

Harry was starting to wonder why Ron had not invited him to stay at his house– this had been plaguing him for some time. Certainly he had been writing to him but there was always something constrained about Ron's letters. Harry suspected this may have had something to do with Hermione who was probably terrified that there were dark wizards all around the country searching for him. But surely he would be much safer with the Weasleys. I mean Ron's dad and two of his brothers were working for the Ministry of Magic! If you weren't safe with Ministry of Magic officials then who were you safe with?

***

Harry awoke suddenly in the middle of the night. For a moment he feared it may have been his scar which had woken him. But it hadn't been. He blinked a few times and reached for his glasses. And was starting to worry about what had woken him when the noise came again. Four sharp taps on glass.

Harry looked over at the window and then he understood. A large raven stood on the window sill. It had a piece of parchment tied to it's right leg. 'Alright I'm coming' said Harry 

and taking a deep breath he opened the window. The raven hopped in and landed on his desk. Hastily Harry untied the letter from the birds leg and spread it out upon the desk. Harry reached down and took his wand out of his trunk. He pointed it at a candle and muttered '_Incantecense!'_ . There was a slight crackling noise as the candle sprung to life casting a flickering glow over the desk. Strictly speaking Underage Wizards were not allowed to do magic outside school – but he doubted the ministry would take any notice. If they hadn't taken any notice of the Hogwarts headmaster Professor Dumbledore telling the Minister for Magic himself that Lord Voldemort had come back and had murdered one of his pupils then Harry doubted very much whether they would notice a small candle lighting charm Harry had read from '_Roger Goodwitch's Handy Household Magic _Book _IV' _

By the flickering light of the candle Harry read:

__

Dear Harry_, _

It's Sirius. I must be Brief in what I say

For fear that this owl is intercepted. Please

do not reply to this letter – The fewer people

who know where you are the better, Harry_._

Terrible things are happening in the magical

world though the ministry still is still refusing

to listen to anything we say. 

Dumbledore has been trying his best to

Ensure your prolonged safety. He has written to

Ron and Hermione and told them on no account

to tempt you to leave the Dursleys house. I fancy 

he will have written to the Dursleys too. I am 

writing to tell you the arrangements to get you to 

Diagon Alley for your school gear. Snuffles will come

for your at the Dursleys 

I look forward to seeing you and will send you

The dates and times for our meeting separately just 

in case this bird is intercepted. So expect Snuffles any time soon. Hope you are having a nice Holiday.

I'll bring you up to date on the news when next I see you. Until then take care!

Best Wishes,

Sirius.

Harry chortled. If anyone had intercepted this letter they would have a job working out who snuffles was. Sirius had only escaped capture because he was an unregistered animagus (a wizard who can turn themselves into an animal). This was illegal in the wizarding world. There were only 7 registered animagus in Britain and they all had to have the animal they turned into and their markings recorded by the ministry. Harry desperately wanted to leave Privet Drive – but he got the impression that Sirius and Dumbledore (and probably Hermione as well) were doing everything they could to stop him from doing this.

It was only the thought of seeing Sirius that kept Harry going those last few weeks when all hope of going to Ron's house, The 'Burrow', had faded. And what did Sirius mean by 'much has been happening'. It was hard to imagine much of what was going on in the outside world from Harry's room in the Dursleys house. Though he tried.

Harry's Birthday passed without so-much-as an owl from any of his friends. Harry was really starting to wish people would stop protecting him. It was one thing to say – 'Harry if you go through that door you'll never come out' but quite another to say 'well I don't know if there is anything dangerous behind that door but stay in this room forever and you'll probably be ok'. Still turning the whole matter over in his mind, Harry blew out the candle and went back to bed.

At breakfast all was pandemonium. It was the first time Harry had been allowed to eat with the Dursleys since the time when Dudley had thrown over the cabinet. If Harry were to tell the truth he didn't like the idea of being back with the Dursleys for meals he would have been much happier in his room trying to finish work on his potions essay about Common Herbal Antidotes for Professor Snape (Harry's least favourite teacher).

"Pass the butter, Harry " Dudley grunted as he started upon yet another Croissant.

"Have you got everything you'll need for school Duddykins dear?" Said Aunt Petunia turning her doting eyes upon her pig-like son.

Harry passed the butter taking care to avoid Uncle Vernon's icy stare as he did. Uncle Vernon had clearly not forgotten about his China collection. Though he looked oddly as if he was thinking hard. Eventually Harry convinced himself there must be something else wrong: He hadn't been this bad-tempered for weeks.

"Can I have some more sugar for my tea please mum?" asked Dudley with a sweet charming tone as if he had just offered to take her out for dinner. Without giving it a second thought Aunt Petunia handed over the bowl of sugar to Dudley - he had evidently succeeded in bring down the dieting ruling after all (though Harry wondered what he had had to throw over to manage that).

"Potter" said Uncle Vernon finally "You are to leave this house tomorrow after dinner"

"I can't because…" Harry was about to say because the most feared wizard of all time is trying to kill me but didn't think it would go down the right way. In fact the Dursleys would probably have welcomed the prospect.

"Your Aunt Marge is coming and after what you did last time she..."

"That was an accident!" Interjected Harry.

"It was, was it? Well after you ran off a whole load of strange men started appearing all over the place. They, they, they did something, some ma, ma, magic on Aunt Marge so she wouldn't remember and told us to say nothing to anyone." Said Uncle Vernon a look of terror filled his eyes but he continued all the same "So, Harry, to avoid any more of your little accidents you will go upstairs immediately and pack your things." Said Uncle Vernon he looked like a master chess player who had just played his crowning move.

"And you will be leaving tomorrow!"

Harry walked up to his bedroom half in a state of shock and half panic. What was he going to do? He had to tell Sirius but Hedwig was away delivering Hermione's letter to Bulgaria and was unlikely to be back within the next week let alone before tomorrow at dinner time. He knew where he would have to go, he only had one option – Ron's house but how would he get there? By broom? Harry didn't even know in which direction Ron's house lay. He had flown there before but he had been too busy marveling at the car that Mr Weasly had Jinxed to fly and talking to Ron that he really wasn't sure which way to head.

And then it hit him. Of course! The Knight Bus! Harry had used it once before when he was in third year. It was a wizard bus could jump from place to place across the country at very high speed. Full of fresh enthusiasm for Uncle Vernon's impending banishment Harry finished the last of his potions essay and packed his books into the trunk.

Chapter 2 – Voices in the Dark

At quarter to six the following evening Uncle Vernon called up to Harry telling him to bring his case to the bottom of the stairs and come in for Dinner. Dinner turned out to be bread and cold soup. Dudley, of course, was tucking into a feast of chicken legs. No-one said anything over dinner and when it was finished Uncle Vernon stood up and looked at Harry.

"Follow"

Not wanting to tempt Uncle Vernon into releasing his pent up wrath Harry did as he asked. Uncle Vernon lead him out to the hall obviously intent on making sure Harry left the house.

"And mind you don't do any of that, that, funny stuff until you're out of our street Harry. Or there'll be trouble."

"Ok, ok, I know"

Harry picked up his case and Uncle Vernon opened the Door. On the inside of the door no-one liked him and on the other side Dark wizards killed other wizards for fun. With one deep breath Harry plucked up his courage and strode out into the cold night. The door slammed shut behind him.

Harry had planned to summon the Knight Bus from outside the Dursleys house but after Uncle Vernon's warning he decided to walk a little – at least until he got out of Privet Drive. The streets were quiet and all but deserted though there was small doubt as to why – there was a chill breeze on the air. When Harry finally rounded the corner out of Privet Drive he breathed a sigh of relief and pulled his wand from his pocket. Then thrust it over the edge of the Kerb. 

Nothing happened. Harry, looking confused, waited a second and tried again. He hadn't expected the Knight bus to appear when he summoned it, in fact it had been an accident but now the fact that it hadn't appeared seemed distinctly worrying. But something did happen. There was a speck of bright light which expanded until it was the size of a small book. As the light began to fade Harry saw a sheet of paper. It fluttered and started falling towards the road. Harry grabbed it and holding it at arms length he read

__

Dear Valued Customer,

We apologise for the fact that the Knight BusTM will

not be running today (August 26th) on account of

the official Gringotts Bank Holliday. Service will

return to normal on August 27th. The Knight Bus

staff apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Yours Sincerely,

Eomer Velantine

Customer Relations Manager

Harry started off down the road, aimlessly going wherever his feet took him. He could always go back to the Dursleys, he thought. Though that would be sure to end up with Uncle Vernon throwing his school books in the fire then throwing him straight back out again. Still it had to be worth a try. Harry was about to head back when he heard hushed voices coming from a nearby alleyway on his left. Harry stopped close to the mouth of the passage to listen in.

"But he is here!" said an exasperated voice

"Come, come now. Dumbledore will have anticipated that."

"but if we could coax him to come out on his own..."

"No. We stick to the plan."

Harry couldn't make out what the first man said next as he spoke in a whisper. Harry edged closer to the mouth of the passage to hear better. What were these men talking about? They had mentioned Dumbledore? Something was definitely afoot and Harry had no desire to be part of it. Harry was about to turn to leave when he heard a noise behind him. There was hot breath at the back of his neck, something was pulling him, no dragging him away.

Harry got the impression that he had been dragged a great distance. When suddenly he was dropped. The grip on his collar was released. He was lying face down on a patch of grass. Feeling terrified Harry raised his head an inch. Then he felt something on his back. It felt like an overlarge paw. Turning round Harry saw a great black dog. 'Sirius!' exclaimed Harry relieved and feeling thoroughly overjoyed. But the look that the dog gave him told Harry that Sirius was not pleased to see him.

"Look Sirius it wasn't my fault. My Uncle Vernon, he threw me out. It was all because my aunt was coming round for dinner and...". At this the dog raised an eyebrow and pricked his ears up. "and then Uncle Vernon told me to pack my case and leave. And, and, I would have sent you an owl except Hedwig was away delivering a letter to Hermione". There was an awkward silence. Neither of them moved. Then the dog seemed to come to some decision and started to run. When it was ten feet away from Harry it stopped and barked at him to follow. Sirius set a fast pace and before Harry knew it they had reached the door of No. 4 Privet Drive. It was of course locked. Uncle Vernon evidently expected Harry to try and slip back in. Sirius turned to Harry and looked searchingly at him. Then he raised his eyebrows and wagged his tail slightly. Harry couldn't see what he was so excited about. Looking at Harry Sirius barked then looked at his pocket. When Harry did not respond he did the same thing again. Harry got the idea. He reached into his pocket and produced his wand. Quietly he tapped the lock with it and whispered '_Alohohomora!' _The lock clicked and the door swung open.

In the Dursley's dining room Dinner was in full swing. Uncle Vernon laughed heartily as Aunt Petunia told a joke, Dudley was piling sausages onto his plate, and the fire roared merrily in the fire place. Aunt Marge was having a very good evening. Even she doubled up laughing at Uncle Vernon's stories of his time at Dudley's high school (Smeltings).

"I must say the food is delicious 

Petunia, and I am enjoying myself ever so much."

"It's very nice to have you Marge dear"

"what did you do with _that_ boy, Vernon?"

"Oh, Harry?" said Uncle Vernon caught off guard "Well he's back at St. Brutus's centre for Criminal children." Uncle Vernon had no sooner got this sentence out than there came four sharp knocks on the Dining room door.

"What was that Vernon?"

"Just the wind Marge, it does that sometimes" said Uncle Vernon clearly unnerved but determined to believe his own words. There was a short lull during which no-one spoke. Uncle Vernon, anxious at the silence opened his mouth to say something but before he could it happened again. There were four raps upon the door. This time they were louder and more insistent: it unmistakably meant that someone was behind it. Worried Uncle Vernon got up and walked to the door. All watched as he determinedly opened it. Suddenly Uncle Vernon disappeared from view only to appear again a moment later flying through the air. There was a Thud as he landed on the Dining table.

"How dare you throw Harry out of this house! How dare you! He could've been killed, you pig-faced muggle you!" Sirius was in a rage more intense than any Harry had seen. Sirius seemed to have forgotten his wand. He had simply picked Uncle Vernon up by the scruff of the neck and launched him into the air.

"What kind of animals are you? That you could abandon a boy like that! When you knew you were supposed to be protecting him. I must say I expected more of you Vernon Dudley."

"Let's see Harry, what would you say is a befitting punishment, body-binder Curse? Ah how about the Jogulatus Curse?"

"I've never seen that one" said Harry feeling a great sense of power – this time it was him who was watching everyone else squirm.

"Have you not?" said Sirius "it goes something like this" Sirius raised his wand, pointed it at Dudley and shouted "_Jogulata!"_ A fine jet of bright violet shot from Sirius's wand and hit the quivering Dudley who started to jog on the spot.

"My old quidditch teacher used to use this one on us for our warm up. You kept jogging until you either passed out or he let you stop."

"Very Interesting effect" said Harry evidently impressed.

Uncle Vernon seemed to have plucked up his courage as soon as Dudley had become involved for he had clambered to his feet wielding a knife and fork. With a gasp of effort he threw the fork at Sirius who ducked. Removing his wand from Dudley (who collapsed under his own weight). Sirius turned on Uncle Vernon who was breathing like a captured boar still wielding the knife threateningly.

"Get out, of my house before I phone the police" he panted

"Don't worry I don't intend to stay much longer" said Sirius "I only wanted to warn you that Harry is under my protection. In future you shall treat him better."

"Now then" said Sirius " All I've got to do is clean up after myself and then we can leave Harry"

* **

"What did you do to them?" asked Harry as he and Sirius entered the hall.

"The confoundus memory charm: It'll make them so confused they won't be able to remember what I did until they next look at you. Even then everything will be vague and seem like a sort of nightmare."

"Neat." said Harry " I always wanted to do memory charms". 

"You'll learn soon enough Harry, or at least before your old enough to need to know it."

As they both stepped out into the cool night air Harry felt a sense of freedom that he hadn't done for months. He was with Sirius and he was free of the Dursleys.

"Where are we going now?" Asked Harry.

"We're making for Diagon Ally."

"but how do we get there?"

"Can't you guess Harry?" Harry stopped and thought about this question for a while.

"Sirius you haven't..."

"I have, we're taking Buckbeak" 

"Sure beats flying motorcycles, at least!" said Harry merrily 

"How did you know about that?" said Sirius bewilderment crossing his face.

"Hagrid" Explained Harry.

Buckbeak was a hippogriff Harry had helped Sirius to escape capture by the Ministry of Magic on. They walked for some time. Then it occurred to Harry that Sirius hadn't changed back yet.

"Sirius, why haven't you, you know – changed?" Harry was anxious to keep Sirius's ability to perform the animagus spell secret after all it was that that had kept him safe when most of the ministry was chasing him.

"It's more important Harry that any of you-know who's supporters see that your not alone. We can just hope that the ministry doesn't spot me."

"Sirius, did you hear what those men in that alley were saying?"

"Oh yes." Said Sirius a worried tone sounding in his voice "yes I heard them alright. I was spying on them. But now is not the time Harry. We should be away from this place as quickly as possible"

There was a sound like an explosion from behind them and through the buildings they Harry saw a flash of white light. It was swiftly followed by another noise, a deep boom, like a canon going off and behind them a jet of green light shot into the air, where it settled. Only when it was high above the town did it's shape become apparent. 

"Sirius! The dark mark!" Shouted Harry

Harry had half fallen over. Sirius had to get out of here! Ministry hit-wizards were sure to flock here in their hundreds and it definitely wouldn't good if Sirius Black was caught under the Dark Mark. Too late. Wizards dressed in white ministry robes were apparating all over the place.

"Run for it, Harry" Shouted Sirius as he drew his wand. Harry was sure Sirius could look after himself, however he intensely disliked the idea of leaving Sirius amongst an army of ministry officials.

"Go Harry! Go!" shouted Sirius

Harry didn't need telling a third time. He took to his feet. He tore round a bend and down the road. He had not gone very far when a group of wizards dressed in jet black robes came storming out of a nearby clump of trees wands raised. Before Harry knew what had happened two of them had grabbed him under the armpits and they all as a unit set off at a run back into the trees. 'This is it' thought Harry 'now I'll be taken to Voldemort and' Harry couldn't bare to think of what came after the and. Then he heard noises behind him, bangs and explosions. The world was spinning. Harry remembered no more.

Chapter 3 - The S.W.S

When Harry awoke he found himself on a bed. There was an open window nearby and he could distinctly hear the noise of crickets. Harry opened his eyes and looked round the room. There was another wizard, he had a young but friendly face and was dressed in robes as black as night sitting on a chair near the window.

"Good morning there, little sir!" Said the wizard with a cheery expression on his face

"Who are you? And why did you grab me last night?" asked Harry too dazed to make polite conversation.

" Us, we are the Special Wizard Services or SWS for short. We work for the Department of Intelligence. We were tasked to get in and save you without being seen last night. I must say though we never expected to find you walking the streets. What on earth were you doing?"

"Where am I?" said Harry ignoring the question

"In a safe house." Said the man

"yes but where exactly am I?"

"I'm not sure I can tell you that Harry."

"When can I leave?"

Just then a tall man strode through the door. He was a strong fellow and his brow looked stern and set. As he entered the room the man on the seat stood up and saluted. 

"You will leave, when I say you can leave. You will eat when I say you can eat. You will sleep when I say you can sleep. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir" said Harry sensing that failure to respond would be a terrible mistake.

"Where am I?" asked Harry this time addressing the tall man.

"I am not allowed to tell you that. Suffice it to say that you are deep in the heart of a forest miles away from anyone."

At that moment there came a resounding 'boom' noise fallowed by a bird squawking in pain.

"What was that?" asked Harry

"What was what?" said the tall man sounding distant.

"The boom noise and the squawking"

"What noise? I didn't hear a noise." Said the tall man "You there. Did you hear a noise?" he addressed these last words to the man who had been sitting on the seat.

"Sir, No Sir." Said the man saluting again.

Maybe it was the flaming chicken that ran past the doorway, maybe it was the looks on their faces but Harry sensed they weren't being entirely truthful.

"Number 42! How is the prisoner doing?"

"Sir, I wish to report that Harry Potter is doing very well, Sir." Said the man at the window.

"Number 42?" asked Harry "but I thought you said we were all alone here."

"That is exactly what I said. There are no other men. We are all alone deep in the heart of a forest."

Again Harry didn't seam to believe him. Perhaps he was just too definite about what he was saying, or perhaps it had something to do with the man who ran up behind him.

" Sir, The dragon has escaped and is attacking the men, Sir." Said the stranger outside the door.

"What men are those?" asked the tall man.

"Sir, there are no men, Sir."

And with that he marched off out of sight of the doorway only to appear running full pelt the other way with his robes ablaze seconds later.

"I trust Number 42 that you will make our guest comfortable. I have to attend to one or two of the larger reptiles outside." The tall man turned calmly on his heels and then ran at full speed out of the door.

"Why won't he let me go?" asked Harry now becoming a bit uncomfortable.

"He's got to wait for the orders you see? We can't let you go till we've bin given our orders gottit? Then there's the filing system to take into account as well."

"and how long will that take?" asked Harry

"I don't know we get our orders twice a week here in Camp _Beta-Wolf_, oops – I shouldn't have told you that. Forget I said it."

"forget you said what, sir." Said Harry with a grin on his face.

"Ha! I see your getting into the swing of it! You could be one of us lad!"

"You'll need a good day's rest. Then I expect Jeffrey, well that's Number 1. The man who was in here a moment ago. Will let you send an owl. Just to tell your folks your ok and all. After that we just wait. Oh and my names Danny"

"I can't stay here any longer I've got to get my school stuff and catch the Hogwarts Express in three days!"

"Is that so? Ok see you around Harry I've got to go and check the chickens have been fed. If you're leaving this building keep well away from Jeffrey." And with a wink Danny got up and left. Once alone Harry checked his pockets. His wand was still there. The SWS were evidently not big on security. Then putting on his shoes Harry got up and left the house. Whatever Harry had expected to see it definitely was nothing like as unbelievable as what was actually there. The place was thronging with men in black robes. It looked like some major carnival was going on. There were tents, a huge wooden climbing wall, food stands, beer tents, pools of water, and in one section of the camp there was even a martial arts dojo. It was all like some giant sports assault course. Periodically there came bangs and thuds. Harry was looking around him like a child in a sweet shop. He hadn't seen anywhere so obscure and overtly magical in his life. It reminded him distinctly of his trip to the quidditch world cup last year.

As Harry wandered around he caught small snippets of conversations 

"We need more chickens for the chicken range, Number 124"

"Sir, yes, Sir"

"what on earth has Jack done with the box of RJ-49S's"

"You mean the racing brooms box?"

"Nah, that's RJ-44B. RJ-49S is the code for the Ohmnitrackers."

Just as Harry was becoming accustomed to the noise the camp descended into complete silence, all heads were staring up at the sky. No-one dared to breath. Looking up Harry saw the great invader who had put the nations finest into a complete and utter stunned silence. For in the sky flew one solitary owl. It circled over the camp before going down at an especially large tent some distance away.

"That's the orders in friend" said a man on Harry's right "You just back from a plain-cloths lad?"

"Eh, Yeh." Said Harry feeling it would be simpler than explanations.

Then as if from some great speaker system Harry knew was definitely not there came Jeffery's magically magnified voice.

"Attention all troops! Would Numbers 2 to 50 inclusive please proceed to disaperation point one. Numbers 51 through to 60 inclusive to disaperation point two and 61 through to 129 split into three groups at the highest ranking officers decisions and head for disaperation point three. The group 2 to 50 are heading for the North Birmingham entrance. 51 to 60 to North-East Birmingham. The remaining group to North Kirrimuir in Scotland. This will be a three-stage operation. Your commanding officers will brief you on site. Stand by for insertion."

Within seconds people were running here and there all over the place heading from disaperation point to disaperation point. Inside a minute the camp was quite empty. Leaving Harry with only the crickets for company and the smoking carcasses of the chickens. Now all he had to do was stroll out of the camp. It seemed to easy, he got six paces away and nearly round a bend before:

"Stop there, Sir" said a dark robed figure behind him. Harry stopped. "Follow me."

And with that the man led him through the maze of tents, stalls, and other obstacles. Much to Harry's surprise he did not return him to the room he had been in before. He took him to a wooden lodge building at the far end of the camp. Taking a key from his pocket he unlocked the door and led Harry in.

"Make yourself at home lad. This is the officers mess." He said pulling a butterbeer out of a box on the floor. He handed it to Harry " They order them in packs of 200 so they won't notice a few going a miss if you understand my meaning. Must be off now. I've got to guard the perimeter."

For a few minutes Harry sat there sipping contentedly at the butterbeer (A wizarding drink with a curious quality of bringing warmth to your insides). The mess was certainly a mess in every sense of the word. On the table lay a selection of magazines and piles of discarded papers baring the words "TOP SECRET" on the corners. So this was the legendary SWS filing system.

Once he had finished his butterbeer, Harry began to reflect over the last 24 hours in his head. What had happened last night? Could all that fuss have been an attempt to capture him? And what had become of Sirius? A sense of dread filled his heart. What would Sirius have done, presuming he had got away which was by no means certain. Harry could think of only one answer – Sirius would probably hunt down every dark wizard in the country searching for him. Harry reached a decision, he had to get out of here, he'd go to Diagon Alley and wait in case Sirius turned up. When he was there he could send an owl to Dumbledore and ask for advice. But how? Harry didn't fancy trying to find where the SWS kept their racing brooms and the only alternative appeared to be flying away atop a dragon; even if he could get out of the camp he had no idea where he was. Feeling defeated Harry took out another butterbeer and stared dejectedly into the fire. It's lapping flames had a therapeutic quality which combined with the warm reassurance of the butterbeer let him almost forget about his problems. As the flames danced there intricate pattern in the hearth Harry's eyes rested upon the ornate mantelpiece it's upper surface was bare except for a neat row of books and a little pot. On closer inspection the pot looked strangely familiar as if he had seen it before. 'No thought Harry, it couldn't be.' The last time Harry had seen a pot like this was in the Weasley's house and it had contained flu powder. But the S.W.S. wouldn't be that stupid surely

Suddenly Harry made up his mind, he got up and strode quickly over to the mantle piece. He looked doubtfully for a second at the roaring fire. What kind of secret service connects itself to the flu network? He stuck his hand into the pot and thrust a fist full of fine powder into the fire. The flames burned emerald green. Amazed Harry stepped into the fire. Resisting a strong temptation to say 'the burrow' Harry shouted "The Leaky Cauldron". The officers mess disappeared in a mesh of colours. Harry shut his eyes – he hated flu powder. He felt as though he was spinning around flying faster and faster he was staring to feel dizzy; and finally it stopped. Harry stood there for a moment as if wanting to be sure that the ordeal had actually ended. When Harry opened his eyes he found himself in the famous Leaky Cauldron behind which the secret entrance to Diagon Alley was concealed. Harry stepped out of the fireplace and looked round the room.

Chapter 4 – Diagon Alley

The Leaky Cauldron was, of course, overrun by wizards anxious to make the most of there last few precious days before they returned to work. The bar was doing a roaring trade in serving drinks and the whole room was filled with the general clink chatter and clatter of a busy tavern.

"Harry!" Shouted a familiar voice "over here!"

The voice came from a table in the corner seated at which was none other than Professor Lupin. Lupin was a friend of his fathers who had taught Harry defence against the dark arts in third year.

"I'm glad to see you Harry!" Said Lupin as Harry sat down "Sirius warned me you might come here."

"You mean he's ok?" asked Harry relieved.

"Oh Sirius is fine, we were more worried about you. Once they had finished doing the memory charms half the ministry hit-wizards went out looking for you."

"But how did Sirius escape?"

"Sirius disapperated as soon as you left, Harry. He reckons the ministry didn't even see him." Lupin seemed more relaxed now than he had in the days when he had taught Harry. Harry presumed this was because he did not need to worry about attacking the pupils now. Lupin was a werewolf and the best defence against the dark arts teacher Harry ever had.

"I'm glad to hear Sirius is alright." Said Harry plainly relieved. "Did they get any of the death-eaters?"

"I'm afraid not. I don't know whether it's the right time to tell you this Harry but they broke into your Aunt and Uncles house – looking for you I expect. They cursed and jinxed the Dursleys trying to get them to talk. Someone must have put one hell of a memory charm on them though. If they knew anything they would have talked."

"That was Sirius" interjected Harry

"It was, was it? I must congratulate him on a very impressive memory charm, he probably saved your life. As soon as the Death-Eaters decided you weren't in the house and that they weren't going to get any meaningful information out of the Dursleys they ran out of the house and sent up the dark mark."

Had it been that close thought Harry. If they had been torturing the Dursleys before they sent up the mark they must have just missed Sirius and Harry as they left the building. 

"What happened next?" asked Harry

"Well as far as we know they blew up a car and started fighting the ministry. They put up quite a fight but when the ministry started closing in they disapperated." 

After a moments consideration Harry asked the question that had been worrying him all summer.

"Professor, what would have happened if I had been in the Dursley's house when they attacked?"

"I am not sure Harry. All I know is that Dumbledore had great faith that you would be safe with the Dursleys."

After that Lupin turned the conversation to Harry. Harry told him about how he had run off and how he had been abducted by the SWS. Lupin had, of course, never herd of the SWS and seemed greatly interested. After he had heard Harry out and asked many questions he sipped his tankard and addressed Harry.

"Now Harry, to business" said Lupin "Sirius wanted to tell you this himself, however since he is not available I shall have to tell you for him." Lupin paused clearly thinking what he should say.

"I am aware of your encounter with Voldemort last year at the Triwizard Tournament. Dumbledore has been trying to warn people Voldemort is back. At first people believed the ministry. However, a month or so ago, there was a Death-Eater attack in central London. They stormed the Daily Prophet offices and abducted a reporter who had been doing a story on the ties between the Riddle family and the Malfoys. Of course, after that everyone became suspicious. Last week one of them was caught trying to take out Alastor Moody – Not a pretty site I'll tell you. Many people have said a lot of things about Moody but the one thing he is not is a blind bat that can't defend himself."

Harry had always wondered what the real Moody was like. He had seen him once briefly when he was unconscious and in Dumbledore's memories.

"Moody put the man under the imperious curse and marched him straight to the ministry. He stopped off at the Daily Prophet on the way, mind you."

"Why should they want rid of Moody?" asked Harry " he's retired now isn't he"

"Well Moody hasn't realised that yet and " Lupin leant closer to Harry so that no-one else would hear 

"Moody's helping our side. I gather Dumbledore has been giving him plenty of work to do." Leaning back on his seat and looking as though he had got a load off his chest Lupin took another deep draft from his tankard. "You want anything to drink Harry?"

"Yes please" said Harry.

He got up and fallowed Lupin to the bar. 

The bar was packed and Harry was just starting to worry about how long they would be waiting when the barman caught a glance of him.

"Well if it isn't Harry Potter! What a coincidence!" said the barman still cleaning a glass.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry

"We've just had Ludo Bagman in here looking for you!"

"Is that so" said Harry not quite sure how to interpret this news – Ludo Bagman was the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sport at the Ministry of Magic.

"Well your disappearance has been something of a sensation you know! Can't wait to tell the Daily Prophet about this, half the ministry is out looking for you and you just walk out of my fireplace!" Then turning to Harry he said "What would you like lad?"

"A butterbeer please" said Harry "do you want anything Professor?"

"No I'm quite alright, Harry" said Lupin smiling.

When the barman had given Harry his butterbeer he and Lupin returned to their seat.

"What do you make of that?" asked Harry

"I'm not too surprised Harry. Your disappearance was on the front page of the Daily Prophet. It's only natural that ministry officials should be asking for you."

For a short while they both drank in silence. Then Lupin reached into his robes.

"Sirius asked me to give you this" Lupin withdrew a pendant from his pocket on the end of it was a gleaming purple jewel set in bronze. He handed it to Harry.

"What is it?" asked Harry

"It's a hechizo stone. It can help protect you against weak curses. It absorbs the magic. They are worth a fortune. There aren't many of them around either. They say that there are none alive who know of the craft which produced them." Explained Lupin " Don't rely on it though Harry. A strong spell can still hit you and it will not even begin to protect you against avada kedavera"

"How on earth did Sirius get his hands on something like this?"

"It's been in his family for generations. Wear it close to your chest at all times Harry and promise me you won't let anyone know you have it."

"Not even Ron, and Hermione?" asked Harry crestfallen

"Very well but please Harry understand this is for your protection; it's supposed to be a secret and as such you cannot tell anyone else."

"Very well" agreed Harry "I promise"

Harry looked at the gleaming jewel in his hands it was beautiful. It was also very light observed Harry as he put his head through the silver chain.

"Now Harry, I rather expect you'll be wanting to get your school things" said Lupin drawing a piece of parchment from his pocket "and keep away from Knockturn Alley"

"you mean your not coming Professor?"

"I rather fancy I'll have to fetch my dog from the local kennels." Said Lupin with a laugh "you'll be safe in Diagon Alley, Harry."

With that Lupin got up and left, leaving Harry alone at the table. He opened out the parchment and read:

****

Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry

List of Items for pupils in Fifth Year

Set Books

The Standard Book of Spells (Grade V) by Miranda Goshawk

An Indepth Study of English Witch-Hunts by Joan T'ark

Counter-Curses Theory in Practise by Adelbert Waffling

The Advanced guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch

Guide to Carnivorous Plants by Phyllida Spore 

Power in a Phial, Guide to Advanced Potion Making by J.K. Rowlong

Creatures of the Enchanted Forest by Hinglebert Brighton

Withstanding the Dark Arts by Ex Auror Mench Plion 

Alternative Futures, The Divinitive Guide to Choices by Mistaken Meggan

Other Equipment

Grade V Potions ingredients

Dragons-hide gloves

Anything you cannot buy in 

Hogsmade!

**__**

Newly Added Forbidden Items 

Ton Tongue Toffees

Canary Creams

Quick Quotes Quills

__

Enjoy the Last of your holidays and I hope to see you all back in the castle come

August 31st

The streets of Diagon Alley were thronging with people. After a quick trip to Gringotts – the wizarding bank to get money, Harry sauntered merrily through the winding street. It looked like a bad attempt at freehand straight line because although the road was, basically, straight buildings had habit of sticking out to far and generally jostling for position. Harry's first stop was at "Quality Quidditch Supplies" he spent about half an hour browsing through the shelves. While he was intently gazing at a book called _"Dirty Tactics and How to Counter them by Paddy Lynch"_ there came a loud cheery voice 

"Step right up! Come one, Come all! Place your wagers on your favourite quidditch team. Half of all proceeds go to WSPCM The Wizard's Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Muggles. Normally Harry disapproved of betting (a word the salesman was making a valiant attempt to avoid). He did not, however, object to giving money to charity. Putting down the book Harry headed over to the counter behind which the man was standing.

"There you go" said Harry thrusting a pouch containing 15 Galleons into his hand.

"and which team would you like to put this on, generous sir?"

"it's a donation" Harry explained. Harry had always felt guilty about the small fortune he had inherited from his parents, when Ron's family were struggling to make ends meet and so it seemed only fitting that he should be charitable even if the weaslys were not willing to accept money. 

"Oh come now sir! You might as well name a team!"

"It's ok" said Harry

"Oh come on sir! It's bad luck to place a bet you can't win!"

"Ok" said Harry Trying to think of quidditch teams. Harry only knew one quidditch team so he didn't have much choice.

"The Chudley Cannons" said Harry

"The Chudley Cannons, you'll be getting good odds on that one my friend! They haven't one the national cup yet! I'd say 50:1! And the name sir?"

"Harry Potter"

The man's eyes flew to Harry's forehead. Harry was quite used to this by now, him and his scar were something of a legend. Though it did make him uncomfortable.

"Blind me it is! I'm honoured to meet you" Said the man shaking Harry's hand so forcefully he worried he was going to dislocate his shoulder

"Sorry to rush off but I must be going. I've still got lots of things to get." Said Harry anxious to cut their conversation short. Harry stopped and examined the collection of beaters bats before heading back out into the street. 

Next he visited the apothecary – he had been in here once before with Hagrid in first year. Harry had almost forgotten how foul the stench of the apothecary was and was glad when he finally re-emerged into the street with a bag full of potions ingredients. Harry was about to enter the book shop when his stomach made a meaningful rumbling noise – He had not eaten anything all day. Coming to a decision Harry headed for Mrs Timbles Café. It was very quiet and Harry chose a seat out in the sun. Then placing down his potions kit and the equipment list he walked indoors to the counter. He returned a few minutes later with a cup of coffee, a sandwich and some digestive biscuits ('Hand baked to an ancient muggle recipe'). For a pleasant half hour Harry sat sipping his coffee and munching his biscuits. Only when he had taken the last sip from his mug of coffee did Harry return his attention to the piece of parchment. He picked it up and was about to put it in his pocket when he noticed something – ton tongue toffee and canary creams had mysteriously moved from the forbidden items list to the others section. Harry had barely noticed this when laughter broke out behind him.

"I think he's spotted it, George!"

Harry turned round and to his total surprise Fred, George, Ron and Hermione were sitting at a table a 

short distance away.

"Hiya Harry!" Shouted Fred when he noticed Harry had turned to face him. Harry picked up his potions kit and headed over to join them.

"Nice to see you again!" said Harry as he looked round at the others. Harry liked Ron's twin brothers, Fred and George, they were always cheery and always up to mischief. It was, somehow impossible to hold anything against them and yet you always knew they were up to something.

"Did you like the list, Harry?" piped Fred

"Yeh" said Harry with a chuckle " How did you two get your canary creams and ton tongue toffee onto the Hogwarts Forbidden items list anyway?"

"You could say we slipped them into the staff dinner table at the end of term, and that by a long and strange series of adventures, fights, chases and a huge manhunt tracking us through the wilderness for a week Dumbledore finally managed to trace them back to us" said George

"You could say that" agreed Fred "but you could always say that George and I wrote to Dumbledore and asked him to put them on the forbidden items list." Georges story was obviously the correct one – Harry had long ago learned to tell when the Weasley twins were serious – it was frequently the difference between sprouting feathers and a quiet life. 

"but why would you do that?" asked Harry

"Scarcity value" said Fred knowingly with a wink at George.

"Where have you still to go, Harry?" asked Ron "Because I want a look in Quality Quidditch Supplies. After that I've only got my books to get."

"Great same here!" Said Harry

"Why so quiet, Hermione?" asked Harry sensing she was slightly awkward.

"I don't know quite how to say this" said Hermione "but..."

"What she's trying to say is she's been made a prefect".

"So what?" asked Harry. He couldn't see what the big deal was.

"Don't you see it Harry? I can't go running around the grounds after dark if I'm a school prefect!" Harry couldn't help thinking she was starting to sound worryingly like Percy Weasley.

"I've tried to explain to her" said Ron who was clearly fed up with the subject "that she doesn't need to do all that prefect toe-the-line stuff and that if she feels she does she should just tell Dumbledore she doesn't want to be a pref..."

"That's all right for you to say" snapped Hermione "your not the one who has to tell Professor Dumbledore"

"Actually it's the House Masters that chose it Hermione" said Fred "Dumbledore only checks the house master hasn't made a major mistake and"

"Look Hermione let's not worry about it till we get to Hogwarts, ok?" pleaded Ron and then addressing the group he said "are we all ready to go?"

As they worked their way through the thronging crowd towards Quality Quidditch Supplies Harry felt ecstatic. He was with his friends and would be packing for the trip to Hogwarts Castle the day after tomorrow.

"Harry" whispered George giving him a poke on the side with his elbow

"what?" asked Harry in an undertone

"we're going to go and get Ron those new dress robes we promised we'd buy." Explained Fred who had pulled up on his other side.

"Though that's not all we've spent that money on, I'll tell you!" George added quickly. "so if you can think of anyone you want to try out on our new jokes on…" started George however Fred interrupted him mid-sentence.

"Anyway can you cover for us till we get back, Harry?"

"sure." Answered Harry 

"Thanks" returned Fred and George in unison. No sooner had they said it than Fred and George disappeared into the crowd. He certainly could think of someone he'd like to try out one of Fred and George's practical jokes on – Draco Malfoy, his arch enemy. They had loathed each other ever since their first train Journey to Hogwarts.

"I hear the Nimbus series are going to release their new models soon!" said Ron as they walked "They've been advertising them for ages."

"I remember my old Nimbus 2000" said Harry affectionately "Great broom but not a patch on my Firebolt"

"But the new Nimbus's are tailored 

to the individual quidditch players" said Ron enthusiastically "your firebolt is the best broom for a seeker but a beater needs a broom that can take you thrusting your weight around. Fred and George said they had placed orders for Nimbus Beater 2005s but I reckon they were just joking – they're going to cost 300 Galleons a piece"

Harry hoped they weren't being serious. He had given them his thousand galleons Triwizard winnings. He had hoped they would invest it in their joke shop idea. It would just be like Fred and George to blow it on a new broom. Still anything that would help Gryffindor house win the quidditch cup was a welcome change especially since Draco Malfoy was the Slytherin seeker.

"Harry look!" piped up Hermione (Ron and Harry practically collapsed with shock as they had forgotten she was there). Turning in the direction Hermione was pointing Harry saw what she was trying to tell them – Draco Malfoy was walking along the street towards them. He was some distance away and evidently hadn't spotted them. As he drew level with Quality Quidditch Supplies he tuned and walked in.

"Would you look at that!" said Ron angrily "The last thing we want is to have Malfoy skulking around us. Let's get our books and come back later"

"No" said Hermione "let's go and see what he's up to."

"He's probably just looking at the quidditch stuff" said Ron getting frustrated

"I'm not so sure" said Hermione "Didn't you see the look on his face? I've just got this feeling he's up to something."

"Malfoy always looks like that" protested Ron but he grudgingly agreed to go and check it out.

When they entered Quality Quidditch supplies they saw Malfoy staring at some items in the far corner of the shop. A sign above his head proclaimed ' BAD, BEWITCHED AND BANNED'

"I knew it!" hissed Hermione "he's looking at the forbidden items section."

Malfoy was holding a handful of items he had taken from the stand. Then he looked at something on the top shelf coming to a decision he placed all of the other items back (any old place) and took something from the top right hand side of the shelf.

"Harry" whispered Ron "We'd better get out of here before he sees us!"

"Why?" asked Harry "surely we want him to know that we saw him buy whatever that is!"

"I think what Ron is saying" whispered Hermione in an undertone "is that it's to your advantage if he doesn't know you know what he's bought"

Malfoy was by now at the counter and would turn round any minute

"Oh come on Harry" said Hermione and placing her arm under Harry's she marched him out. Once outside she walked them a little way down the road. They stopped under the shade of a building and Hermione turned to Harry.

"You do understand don't you?"

"Yes but now I don't even know what Malfoy has bought!"

"Listen" said Hermione knowingly "we saw what shelf Malfoy took that from so we can work out exactly what he has bought!"

A few moments later Malfoy left Quality Quidditch supplies and walked down the road in the direction of Flourish and Blotts books store. 

"Thanks Harry" said Georges voice at his right ear.

"we really appreciate it." Said Fred at the left.

"Let's go and check what Malfoy was up to" said Hermione seeming very taken with the idea.

"If he's anything like his father it'll be illegal" Said Fred with a laugh "nasty piece of work the Malfoy family."

Lead by Hermione the five trooped into the shop and up to the shelf at the corner.

"This must be it!" said Hermione stretching to reach the top shelf. She pulled down what looked like a bracelet in a plastic envelope sealed with a bit of card and a staple. She handed it to Harry. 

"Super-Seeker Bracelet? What does it do." Asked Harry.

"Check the back" added Ron 

There was something written on the back. Harry read aloud " The Supper-Seeker bracelet is a revolutionary new quidditch practise tool. Simply wear this bracelet and it will interfere with the player evasion charms on the snitch when you are in 

it's vicinity (about 20 meters radius). This causes the snitch to head towards the wearer."

"Oh my god!" said Ron "He's trying to cheat in the inter-house quidditch cup! What should we do Harry?"

"Harry will go straight to Professor McGonagall, won't you Harry?" asked Hermione

"I think I preferred the tactical advantage idea Hermione, we'll see if we can think of anything before Gryffindor play Slytherin, if not we can always report him."

"Ahh, there you all are!" said the cheery voice. It belonged to Ron's father – a wizard with a fascination of muggles. 

"Hello Harry! Got all your stuff yet?" asked Mr Weasley merrily.

Harry said hello back and admitted he still had one or two items to buy.

He wondered why Mr Weasley seemed to take finding him here in his stride - if anything he would have expected a ministry worker to be more surprised than anyone else. The explanation soon became apparent when Mr Weasley pulled Harry aside to talk to him.

"You're to come with us for the next two days Harry. Your trunk and cauldron are already there – so, I gather, is Hedwig. He flew in this morning with a letter from Dumbledore asking if we would mind looking after you for the next two days."

Chapter 5 – The Hogwarts Express

Harry hardly remembered much of those last two precious days. He spent most of his time out in the orchard playing quidditch with the Weasleys – even Hermione joined in though she looked distinctly uneasy. In the evenings they sat in the Weasley's living room. Fred and George insisted on showing Harry their new tricks. There was a flute that always played the same tune no matter how hard you tried to play something else and parchment that deteriorated five minutes after you wrote on it. Hermione seemed to have cheered up a lot since Diagon Alley and was frequently to be found with her head buried in one of her new schoolbooks. Whenever Harry was around Mr Weasley he would talk to him at great length about light bulbs, microwaves and everything right through to the traffic light system - so long as it was about muggles.

At breakfast on the second day the end-of-the-holidays feeling loomed over them. Harry didn't want to leave. Everything in the Weasley's house seemed so inexplicably interesting from the bangs issuing from Mr Weasley's garage to the overgrown garden filled with strange magical plants with its knee high grass and strange pixie populations. And all two soon it seemed to be over, the clock was ticking away knocking seconds off Harry's precious hours in the Weasley household. Harry was buttering his last slice of bread while talking to Mr Weasley at length about the taxi service.

"You mean muggles just pick up a phone and get another muggle to come and pick them up?"

Harry nodded.

"Fascinating!" said Mr Weasley seemingly overjoyed. Hermione, whose parents were both muggles, was getting quite fed up of listening to Mr Weasley's continued interest with the taxi system tried to change the subject.

"anyone know what time the Hogwarts Express leaves tomorrow?" asked Hermione at the first lull.

"Half past ten" said Fred mournfully

"That's earlier than last year, isn't it dear?" Mrs Weasley asked her husband.

"I think so but why should that be important?" 

"because we can't all apparate and it isn't exactly next door." 

Mr Weasley's eyes lit up and a grin spread across his face. "You mean we can take the taxi?"

"I'm not sure we can trust this muggle taxi thing dear maybe we would be better to..."

"It's ok we'll set off at nine O'clock and I can apparate and make the 'call' and"

"We'd never fit all of the school things in Arthur, it would be far better…" but there was no talking to him. Mr.Weasley's heart was set on the idea.

"we can order two taxis!"

Mrs Weasly looked as if she dissapproved but couldn't bring herself to forbid it. Mr Weasley looked like his birthday had come early. His eyes were sparkling and there was a grin on his face. 

That evening when Harry, Ron, and Hermione had finished playing magical snap they all headed up stairs to their beds. As Harry lay in his sleeping bag he thought warmly about the trip to Hogwarts from Platform 9¾ and then of the great turrets and walls of Hogwarts Castle. Harry couldn't wait, all too soon he had drifted into a shallow sleep. He dreamt of a beautiful scarlet red steam engine – the Hogwarts express and mysteriously, of a long procession of taxis travelling through central London with Mr Weasley sitting in the front playing with the overhead light while the taxi driver slowly ran up his meter.

At Seven O'clock Harry was wakened by a loud bang which sounded as if it came from Fred and Georges room. Due to years of past experience people tended to ignore bangs from the twins room but this one sounded a even louder than normal. Harry reached for his glasses and turned his head to see Ron sitting up on his pillow.

"What was that Harry?"

"I don't know but it sounds like Fred and George's work."

Ron was about to say something but there came a call from the bottom of the stairs.

"Everyone! It's time to get up! Breakfast is ready!"

He and Ron got up, changed quickly, and headed down stairs. As they passed through the Living Room Harry saw that all of the settees and much of the floor space was covered with trunks, a loud hoot drew Harry's attention to Hedwig's cage seated upon his trunk in the corner of the room.

"Good morning Harry!" said Mrs Weasley as they entered the sunlit kitchen "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes thanks"

"Harry must be getting used to my room now mum. I could hardly sleep for the noise that Helmount was making in the attic"

"Ohh, I keep meaning to do something about that ghost dear but I never have the heart. He's such a nice fellow when you talk to him."

Mrs Weasley had no sooner served them pancakes and toast than there came the sound of heavy footsteps on the stairs. A moment later the kitchen door burst open and Fred and George came trooping in. They were fallowed closely by Ginny. Ginny's face was black with soot marks, a fact which she was trying very hard to hide. Harry rather suspected this may have been a result of the same explosion that woke him up. When she saw Ginny with her blackened face and robes Mrs Weasley turned on Fred and George

"I hope this is not your handiwork!"

"it's ok mum she volunteered" explained Fred. George was nodding effusively.

Mrs Weasly turned to look at Ginny who solemnly gave one single nod.

"volunteered for what exactly?"

"with our, em,…" Fred looked at George for help

"well it was with our…" started George clearly uncertain of what he was going to say

"a flameless fire charm" said Ginny coming to the rescue.

It was clearly an excuse, however, Mrs Weasley did not pursue the matter further and returned to buttering toast. Without another word Fred and George sat down. While poring a thick coating of syrup on his pancake George whispered out of the corner of his mouth to Harry

"exploding doorknob jinx actually. Fred and I didn't want to be disturbed while we were perfecting our new product."

"Though don't ask us what it is Harry." Added Fred "we have special plans for this one!"

All too soon breakfast was finished. Mr Weasley was taking some last minute tips from Harry about 'The Summoning of Taxies – an Ancient Muggle Art'. At quarter to nine Mr Weasley disapperated looking like a child in a toy shop. He returned five minutes later with a grin on his face and announced.

"the tac-ses are on their way!"

They had not been waiting long when two cars pulled into the Burrow's drive. Each sported a yellow sign on the top saying 'Taxi'. It took three or four trips to ferry all their baggage to the taxies. There wasn't enough room in the boots for more than one trunk and so Harry and Ron found themselves sharing a back seat with two trunks, and Hedwig's cage. Mrs Weasley decided to stay at home and tend to the housework and stayed to wave everyone goodbye, the others went into the second taxi. Though the driver looked twice when he saw Hedwig's cage he didn't complain and soon they left the Burrow behind. Ron and Harry spent most of the journey lost in conversation about who was likely to be made a prefect this year. Outside was dense countryside. After some time the fields were replaced by old houses with big gardens. As they drove on the buildings got closer and closer together until they were in the very heart of London. The driver pulled over at Kings Cross Station.

"There yer go fellas!" said the driver "That'll be thirty-two pounds and ten pence"

Harry had forgotten to tell Mr Weasley that he had to pay.

"What's that mean?" asked Ron

"Muggle money." Harry explained

"did you say 'muggle' ?" asked the driver "ma nephew uses that word. Does you go to Ogwarts?"

"Yes" breathed Harry who couldn't believe his luck

"he'll be in your year I'm thinking. Do you know Seamus?"

"Seamus Finigan?" asked Ron

"Yer that's him"

"He's in our Dorm."

"So what's your names boys?"

"I'm Harry Potter and this is Ron Weasley." said Harry.

"Harry Potter?" said the driver "Seamus is always on about how good a seeker you are! Very into his quidditch is our Seamus. Can't understand the game ma-self"

"About the money" started Harry "I don't have muggle money but would you accept…"

"I couldn't charge you! Yer friends of ma nephew. Hold on a second."

He opened the window and shouted to the other taxi, which had just pulled up

"Brian!"

"Yes?" answered the other taxi driver

"These people are friends o'my nephew. Just let em off with their fare ok?"

"Sure thing Jamie!" Said the other driver.

Jamie Helped them out with their baggage and the two taxi drivers bid them all farewell.

"simply magic!" said Mr Weasley overwhelmed by the taxi ride "and muggles do this for each other without charge! They could teach us wizards a thing or two!"

Harry would have corrected Mr Weasley but didn't have the heart to ruin his enjoyment of the trip.

As they made their way to platform 9¾ the group laughed and joked. The station was packed with muggles on their way to work. Their party walking with many trunks, two owl cages and a cat attracted much attention. The fact that Mr Weasley was still wearing wizards robes didn't help much either.

"Right then" said Mr Weasley when they reached the barrier between platforms nine and ten "get into pairs. There are so many of us that the muggles will be sure to notice if we all walk through the barrier at once."

Harry and Hermione walked up first. They waited until they were almost touching the barrier and ran hard. When they hit it Kings Cross Station disappeared to be replaced by a platform thronging with witches and wizards. To their right was the Scarlet Hogwarts express billowing steam into the sky. Behind them followed Fred and George.

"We're a bit early Harry!" Shouted Fred "it's only ten O'clock"

"That should give us time to find a carriage" explained Hermione.

A few moments later Ron and Ginny arrived, swiftly followed by Mr Weasley.

"Be good children!" said Mr Weasley as they all dispersed.

After saying goodbye to Mr Weasley Harry, Ron, and Hermione placed their trunks into the luggage compartment and boarded the train. They found an empty carriage about half way along and sat down. With an elated sense of joy they looked out the window at the milling platform outside. 

"I can't wait to get back to Hogwarts" said Ron happily though he stopped when he saw the look on Hermione's face "Oh cheer up Hermione! What was Krum's place like?"

"It was great. I'm just so worried about talking to Professor McGonagall about this prefect thing that I can't think about it just now."

The driver gave two blasts on the whistle and slowly the train started to move. Platform nine and three quarters gradually moved away from them as the train picked up speed. Harry and Ron talked for some time about quidditch and from there their conversation eventually drifted to the subject of Malfoy's super-seeker bracelet.

"You could always jinx his broom" ventured Ron

"No, they'd catch me for sure if I did that."

"You could get one of us to do it for you though"

"I think I'll wait and see what the team suggest. Who knows if Malfoy is caught maybe the Slytherin team will be suspended from the quidditch cup this year!"

They had left London well behind and were passing through the countryside filled with farmlands and fields. For a while Harry stared out at the passing landscape.

"It's a funny thing" said Harry "but you haven't asked me how I escaped the Death-eaters yet."

"Mum said not to ask you. She thought you might…you know…be worried or something."

Harry was just about to explain about the Sirius and the S.W.S. when the carriage door swung open.

"Hi" Said Fred

"Just came through to ask Harry about his story" explained George "Mum and Dad wouldn't let us."

Harry told them all about how he had just left the house when the dark mark went up (he carefully omitted telling Fred and George about Sirius – he could tell Ron and Hermione later) when he reached the part about the S.W.S. Ron seemed extremely interested.

"Not many people have heard of them" explained Harry

"George and I know about them."

"How on earth did you two find out about a top secret department of intelligence corps?" asked Ron in disbelief

"One day when we were much younger, and above suspicion" Started Fred. Harry doubted if Fred and George were ever above suspicion but said nothing.

"Well more above suspicion than we are now. Dad took us to work with him. Anyway we went for a walk around the building and found this air vent."

"Don't tell me" laughed Harry

"Well what would you have done? So I took the cover off and we climbed into it. We crawled around a while and eventually we got to another vent and we could here voices. We heard a lot about a secret service and their head man was being told off. Anyway one thing and another we set off a few dung bombs and made to leave."

"When they caught us they weren't best pleased" added George "wanted to put memory charms on us but Dad got there just in time"

"I think he'd been following the smoke" laughed George

"Or the smell" suggested Fred with a grin.

"Anyway the Secret Service guy said he wanted to take us to the S.W.S. headquarters for disciplining. Luckily the head of the department of intelligence intervened and made us promise to tell no-one. Mind you next week Dad's department cancelled a raid on his house." 

"Only you two could get away with a thing like that." Said Hermione who seemed to have forgotten that she was in the midst of self-imposed gloom.

When Harry told them how he had escaped from the S.W.S. just before he met them Ron blinked.

"A secret service on the Flu Network? What do they think they're playing at?!"

"They aren't supposed to be on the flew network, but the S.W.S. have never bothered much about the rules" said Fred "when we overheard them they were being told off for abducting muggles"

"Abducting muggles?" gasped Hermione looking horrified.

"Yep. No-one could see any reason. They would take them into their interrogation room and threaten them with torture if they did not talk. No-one knew what about."

"But why would they do that?" asked Hermione shocked.

"They later discovered they were writing a play." Explained Fred.

Everyone except Hermione doubled up laughing. Harry had detected the SWS were a bit, independent and far too lax about security but he had never suspected their problems were so deep rooted.

"We're going to go back to our own compartment now – it's just across the corridor. We've kept Lee Jordan waiting."

They got up and walked towards the door of the compartment.

"Oh and Ron" said Fred turning back.

"Yes Fred?"

"Catch" said Fred throwing a paper wrapped package towards him. Fearing it was a dung bomb Ron dived for it and caught it just before it hit the floor.

"Hope you like it" said George and with a wink at Harry, he shut the door and left.

"What is it?" asked Ron "ahh there's a note"

"What does it say?" asked Hermione

"it says 'don't worry it's not a 

smoke bomb either', Typical Fred and George."

Harry was certain he knew what it was. 

"Open it Ron!" Urged Harry.

Ron eyed the parcel carefully as if inspecting it for jinxes then ripped off the paper.

"Dress Robes!" said Ron "I'm so glad - I hated my old ones!"

Ron took them out of the packaging and held them up. They were Weasley maroon – the colour of Ron's Weasley jumper. 

"My goodness they're _Rupert Redswalt_!" Exclaimed Ron. When he saw the blank look on Harry's face he said "These are the most expensive robes money can buy. They've got comfort charms on them and everything. How could Fred and George have afforded something like that?"

"I guess they're not buying the Nimbus's then." Ventured Harry, feeling a bit guilty about the thousand galleons he had given to Fred and George at the end of last term.

"I never thought they would do" said Ron "but you know Fred and George!"

They talked for a while and then they changed into their school robes. Some time later noise from the passage outside suggested that the refreshments trolley was nearing them. A few seconds later the door was pulled aside.

"Will you be wanting anything my dears?" asked the old witch who pushed the trolley.

Harry started at once "Can I have three Chocolate frogs, three packs of Berty Botts Every Flavour Beans, and what are those new things?"

"Cream eggs, my dear, a muggle sweet. I believe it was Professor Dumbledore's idea to make muggleborn's feel at home." Although he had been brought up by muggles Harry hadn't been allowed much in the way of sweets and so most muggle sweets were as completely strange to him now as the array of moving chocolate frogs and every flavour beans had been in first year

"Ok I'll take three of those too." Added Harry. He reached into his pockets and produced three large gold galleons which he handed to the woman.

"Thanking you kindly dears" said the old witch as she closed their door and continued her rounds.

"Your hungry aren't you Harry" chortled Ron.

Harry split the food between the three of them and for some time they ate in silence.

"I wonder who the new defence against the dark arts teacher will be" said Ron eating the last remnants of the _cream egg_. 

"You know what they say - the job's jinxed. Since we came to Hogwarts no-one has lasted more than a year." Said Harry biting a leg off a wriggling chocolate frog "I hope it's not Snape though I'd hate to have Snape at any time never mind when I'm about to do my OWL's" 

"No I hope it is Snape" chortled Ron "Then he'd be out by the end of the year like all our other defence against the dark arts teachers!"

Just then the carriage door swung aside. This time it was not Fred and George, nor was it the Refreshments woman – it was Draco Malfoy and his two sidekicks Crabbe and Goyle.

"Well well Potter. I was under the impression that you were missing."

"What are you ferreting on about Malfoy?" returned Harry. Malfoy turned slightly redder. Harry wasn't sure whether this was out of anger or embarrassment.

"Just because Moody, or whoever he really was, was there to save your backside Potter. If he hadn't been I'd be the one laughing now."

"You haven't forgotten what we did to you the last time you three tried to attack us on the train have you?" spat Ron.

"Shut up Weasley. We're not here to fight with you."

"That'd be a first" Said Hermione coming to her senses.

"Get out Malfoy." Said Harry calmly but he fingered his wand in his pocket "Unless of course you came here to tell us that you've been expelled because your father's a death-eater." 

"What if he was?" asked Malfoy with a sinister glare.

"I know he is, Malfoy. I know he is because I saw him grovel up to Voldemort and kiss his robes."

At this Malfoy seemed to lose control. He whipped his wand out and shouted "_Blasturbatum!_" a red bolt fired from Malfoy's wand and hit Harry on the chest.

Hermione screamed and Ron turned anxiously to look at Harry. Harry sat perfectly still and didn't move a muscle. He felt a gentle warmth on Harry's chest and remembered the hechizo stone. Terrified Crabbe and Goyle made a run for it and Malfoy stared gob smacked at Harry who stood up slowly and drew his wand from his pocket.

"I see you've stooped almost as low as your father Malfoy. Care for another shot?"

Malfoy opened his mouth to cast a hex but Harry was ready for him. Malfoy had no-sooner parted his lips when Harry shouted

"_stupify!_" 

At exactly the same moment Harry heard another voice bellow "_petrificus totalus!_" Harry's hex hit first and Malfoy started to fall: when he was only half way down the second hex hit him from behind. He froze where he was and keeled over slowly backwards. Feeling a bit stunned himself Harry turned to see who the second castor was.

"Are yer ok Harry?"

The colossal figure of the Hogwarts gamekeeper, Hagrid, filled the doorway; he was wielding a pink umbrella menacingly.

"Hagrid!" grinned Ron

"I'm glad ter see you all!" 

"What are we going to do with him?" asked Ron nodding at the unconscious and completely frozen figure of Malfoy.

"We'll be arriving at Hogwarts soon and I recon we should tell Dumbledore about this."

"I agree" said Hermione and Ron nodded in agreement.

"but won't that get me into trouble?" asked Harry a note of panic sounding in his voice. Would Hagrid really do that when it would be sure to land Harry in detention, at the very least…

"I should ruddy well think not!" Snorted Hagrid "Yer were perfectly within yer right to defend yer self Harry"

"But we're not allowed to fight each other!" protested Harry.

"That was no ordinary curse Harry" said Hagrid his voice filled with anger "Curses like that are only for wizards who have gone real bad. When I heard what he shouted I ran here fast as I could – was afraid he might have hit you."

"He did" said Ron who was still shocked.

Hagrid looked half frightened half stunned by this news.

"Yer sure he didn't miscast?"

"It hit me square on the chest"

"Good grief! Yer very ruddy lucky you didn't have to sit this term out Harry – maybe even this year. I'm going to see to it that Dumbledore hears of this."

"Yer sure your ok Harry?"

"Fine" answered Harry

"Why are you on the train anyway?" asked Harry as much to avoid telling Hagrid about his hechizo stone as anything else, "I thought you usually waited at school?"

"Dumbledore's business I'm afraid. I can't say more than that. You leave Master Malfoy there and I'll take him up to the castle for yer."

With a last wave at them Hagrid left the carriage.

"Harry that was amazing!" said Ron "How did you do that?"

"I don't like talking with Malfoy down there. What if he can hear us?"

"Harry he's stunned and petrified what more do you want?" asked Hermione raising an eyebrow.

"Ok but you'll have to keep this secret, don't tell anyone - not even Hagrid."

Harry reached for the chain at the back of his neck and pulled out the glittering jewel. Ron and Hermione stared at it entranced. They both looked as stunned as Malfoy. Eventually Hermione spoke.

"That's not what I think it is, is it?"

"what is it?" asked Ron bewildered.

"a hechizo stone." Explained Hermione "a crystal with a high latent potential for magical absorption. They are worth a fortune and I mean a fortune – not even Lucius Malfoy could afford to buy his son that."

"cut the mumbo jumbo Hermione!" Said Ron confused "I can't understand you!"

"basically it can absorb magic and stop weak curses from hitting you." Translated Hermione.

"Wicked!" exclaimed Ron.

Harry had long ago discovered that 'wicked' was the highest honour that Ron bestowed upon anything.

"You sure showed him, Harry!"

***

Two blasts on the trains whistle indicated that they were arriving at Hogsmade station. The train slowed down to a stop and all three of them 

got up and left the carriage. They walked out of the train into the beautiful night-clad station, already packed with Hogwarts students. Now that he was back in Hogsmade Harry felt a relaxation of a tension he never realised was there – he could openly practice magic without having to worry about muggles.

"First Years!" Bellowed Hagrid from some way down the platform "First Years this way for the boat ride!"

"I remember when that was us" chuckled Harry "it seems so long ago now when we sailed across the lake with Hagrid."

"Yeh." Said Ron "I was too busy worrying what the sorting method was to pay much attention – Fred said I'd have to wrestle a troll."

They all laughed heartily.

"Remember how relieved I was when I discovered all we had to do was put a hat on our head?" 

The station seemed so homely bathed in the gentle light of the lamps. People all around them were heading for a fleet of horseless carriages just outside the station. They followed the flow of the crowd as they joked and laughed. At one point they caught a glimpse of Crabbe and Goyle – they were lost without their leader and were wandering along the platform like two drunks.

"I think they're looking for Malfoy" said Hermione casting a glance at Crabbe.

"I hope they find him. It'll be a lesson to them if they do." Said Harry who was eyeing them with dislike.

When they had found an empty carriage, Harry, Ron, and Hermione all climbed in. It was not long before the carriage's wheels ground into motion and the procession of carriages set off along the road towards the distant silhouette of Hogwarts castle.

Chapter 6 – A Long Awaited Result

As the carriage pulled up before the main doors they alighted. They climbed the stone steps and walked through the Oak doors into the atrium of the entrance hall. On their right a flight of marble steps lead up to the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw dormitories, and the upper floors of the castle. Professor McGonagall was standing in front of the huge doors which lead into the Great Hall.

"Please enter the hall and take a seat at your house tables. Do not talk until the sorting is finished."

With that she opened the doors and let the pupils flock into the hall. When the whole school was seated Dumbledore rose to his feat at the head table. He waited while the hall chattered itself into silence.

"Bring forth the sorting hat and let the sorting begin!" said Dumbledore cheerily.

"Short but sweet as usual." whispered George farther down the Gryffindor table

Professor McGonagall placed a stool in front of the high table. Upon the stool sat a battered wizards hat. The main doors to the Great Hall were flung aside and the whole school watched as the precession of first years trooped into the hall. When they reached the top table they stood in a line facing the stool. There was a moment of utter silence. Suddenly a tear in the side of the sorting hat opened like a mouth and it sang:

__

I am the hat which sorts you all,

From large and bold to scared and small,

Into the house which you'll fit best,

Don't be scared it's not a test.

Now come along and don't be shy,

Just place me on and watch as I,

Check your mind and judge your power,

To see which house will make you flower,

Hogwarts school has these houses four,

Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Gryffindor.

If you are bold and chivalrous then Gryffindor's your place,

These brave students will come on top of every ill they face.

But If you're keen and apt of mind in Ravenclaw you'll fit,

These clever boys and girls are not surpassed in wit.

If you're kind and very loyal then in Hufflepuff you'll stay,

With loyal friends and helpers to help you every day,

If you use you're strength and power to always get your way,

In Slytherin you'll do the best sure as night doth follow day.

So come along and try me on and hurry, if you please,

do not wait, or fret, or fear – sit upon this stool,

And let all the hungry pupils feast and eat until they are all full!

A tumultuous applause fallowed this song.

"It's the best yet" muttered Ron his voice masked by the clapping

"Yeh, especially the line about hurrying up so we can all get eating." said Fred with a grin.

As the clapping subsided the hall again descended into silence. Professor McGonagall stood beside the hat, a piece of parchment in her hand.

"When I call your name come and sit on the stool." She said in a stern but calming voice "then I'll place the hat on your head. When the hat shouts which house you belong in you should go and sit at that house's table." She then eyed the parchment and was about to call the first name when a stout but cocky first year spoke.

"And how will we know which one that is?" he asked in a voice which carried well throughout the silent hall.

Professor McGonagall looked at the offending boy as if she was would turn him into a shrimp. Then, possibly because she remembered these were new pupils, she smiled slightly.

"That is generally the table which cheers the loudest." Then she turned again to the parchment.

"Margo Dowra!" Called McGonagall

A small but pretty young girl walked nervously over to the stool. She froze for a second and looked at it before sitting down. Professor McGonagall lowered the hat onto her head and for a few seconds there was silence.

'_Hufflepuff!"_ shouted the hat unequivocally.

Cheers erupted from the Hufflepuff table and she went off at a fast walk towards it.

"Wilfred Hopkinson!"

The boy who had interrupted Professor McGonagall strode boldly to the stool and sat down. This time it did not take long for the hat to come to it's decision.

"_Gryffindor!_"

"As if wee couldn't have told that" Said Ron sarcastically as they all stood up to clap "You need to be quite bold to interrupt Professor McGonagall mid-sentence normally but with the whole school watching? You don't get more courageous than that."

Wilfred strode fearlessly towards their table and was welcomed graciously by everyone.

"Jonathan Hetburn Smith!"

"_Ravenclaw!_"

Again a thunderous applause was heard, this time from the Ravenclaw table.

"Franz Merlock!"

"_Slytherin!_"

Only the Slytherins that clapped as Franz Merlock headed to the Slytherin table. Slytherin house had churned out more dark wizards than any other and was generally viewed with distaste by the rest of the school. All watched quietly as the Slytherins stood up and welcomed their new arrival. It was only when he looked at the faces at the Slytherins table that Harry noticed who was missing.

"I wonder where Malfoy is?" asked Harry.

"Hagrid probably doesn't want to interrupt the sorting." Explained Hermione. 

"I hope they hurry up, I'm starving." Said Ron mournfully.

"Ron, look at the staff table." Said Harry "Who's that man between Snape and Dumbledore?"

"He must be the new defence against the dark arts teacher."

The man wore thick dragons-hide boots and his robe looked more like a cloak. His face was middle-aged and stern but strangely amiable. He was sipping slowly from a goblet of wine and watching the proceedings with some interest.

"David Keown!_"_

"_Hufflepuff!_"

"Alistair Crawford!"

"_Hufflepuff!_"

They were down to the last two. 

"Fiona le Fay!"

As the hat was slowly lowered onto Fiona's head the room turned icily cold, the lights seemed to dim and for a moment everyone in the room forgot to breath. There was a short silence while the hat came to it's decision.

"_Slytherin!" _Bellowed the hat.

She got up and walked slowly to the Slytherin table, as she did so the eerie coldness that had descended over the room seemed to lift.

"Did you feel that?" asked Ron quivering "that was scary!"

"Yes, I felt it" said Harry seriously "but I don't understand it."

Hermione was going to say something but just them McGonagall started again. There was only one little girl to sort now and then the feasting would begin.

"Monica McCauley!"

"_Gryffindor!_"

The whole table rose to their feet and clapped their new arrival, as did most of the school. Though Harry secretly suspected that this was as much because the sorting had ended as anything else. Though the clapping didn't distract Hermione.

"I think I knew." whispered Hermione.

"What was it then?" asked Ron testily.

"That's just it I've forgotten."

"Not surprised with all the books you read Hermione!" said Harry cheerily "I mean it's hard to find a fact you've not read somewhere." 

Hermione was about to say something when Dumbledore rose to his feet again.

"Firstly, I would like to tie up the lose ends from last term before the new one begins." Said Dumbledore meaningfully "But before I do I would again like to remember a fine and noble young man who should be with us now. I am talking, of course, of Cedric Diggory who was murdered at the hands of Lord Voldemort last term. I am awarding him a shield for services to the school. A memorial plaque will also be erected in his name. Both of these will be placed in the school trophy room should anyone wish to pay their respects." Dumbledore paused for a few seconds to let this sink in and then continued. "Due to these tragic circumstances the presentation of the Inter-House Championship cup was postponed. However, a new term is a time for new beginnings and I am now in a position to announce the results."

Whatever Harry had expected Dumbledore to say it was not that, he had completely forgotten about the inter-house competition. Judging by their faces so had the rest of the school. Even Fred and George were surprised, although Harry saw a twinkle in Georges eye as if he had had an idea – Harry dreaded to think what that might be.

"At the end of last term the points stood as follows. Ravenclaw finished on 298, Slytherin on 320, Hufflepuff 341 and Gryffindor 391." Cheers erupted from the Gryffindor table everyone shook hands and congratulated each other. Fred shouted loudly "take that Slytherin!" waving his fist in the air.

"Another spectacular Gryffindor victory!" said Lea Jordan – in the voice he usually used for his quidditch match commentary "as if we couldn't have seen it coming already!"

But Dumbledore raised his hand for silence and waited for the noise to die down. 

"However, due to the demands of several parents. I have still to deduct points for bad conduct on the train. Attacking other pupils is never right nor justified – regardless of what these wicked individuals may say to provoke you." As he spoke these last words his eyes fixed solidly on the Slytherin table "The parents concerned demanded that the offending boys be given detentions. I have decided this unfair and therefore I am only going to deduct 50 points from Gryffindor house for the incident."

The smiles faded from the Gryffindor lips as they looked from face to face to find who the offender was. Ron, Hermione, Harry, Fred and George kept their faces lowered. Lucius Malfoy had obviously made some complaint about their attacking his son. The air of excitement had all but drained from the table in the silence that followed Harry could only think of wringing Malfoy's neck.

"Wait a minute" said Neville Longbottom thoughtfully "that means we tie!"

The gloom seemed to lift a little as the others thought about this.

"As some of you will already have worked out" continued Dumbledore "this means Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tie with 341 points each."

The Hufflepuff table exploded into celebration. The Hufflepuffs fox whistled and jumped up and down, though the Gryffindors cheers were less roachus than before. Through the maze of heads Harry saw Cho. She was laughing and shaking hands with fellow Hufflepuffs. For a moment she caught his eye and smiled slightly before quickly looking away.

"Yes, yes well done all!" Cheered Dumbledore "Now then, I'm sure you can't wait to get on with your feast and so without further adieu, let us start the feasting!" with that Dumbledore sat down and within a few seconds was engaged in conversation with the new teacher.

Everyone had started talking at once and all were surprised when great banners dropped down from the great heights of the walls. On one side they were decorated with the scarlet background with the golden Gryffindor Lion emblazoned on it, and the on the other side of the hall the banners were that of Hufflepuff which bore a badger set against a bold brown background. A few seconds later the food appeared. Haddock, mince pies, fruit and potatoes filled the bowls and in the centre of the table the jugs filled with pumpkin juice. For sometime people sat and sipped their pumpkin juice and ate merrily.

"I wonder what like the time tables will be this year?" asked Ron, who was by now on his second helping of potatoes "I mean maybe we won't have potions with the Slytherins this year."

"We'll find out soon enough I'll wager" said Harry who was careful not to be too optimistic – they had had potions with the Slytherins since first year.

It was not long, however, before their question was answered as Professor McGonagall was making her way up the table with the timetables. 

"There you go, Harry. This ones yours." Said McGonagall withdrawing Harry's timetable from her bundle. "And this is yours Mr Weasley." She said handing a second timetable to Ron.

"Now then Mrs Granger" she said sifting the pile "F..F..G – here we go."

"Professor!" Called Hermione as Professor McGonagall moved away.

"Yes, Hermione?"

"Can I talk to you please."

"Is it urgent? I'm in a hurry to hand over all of these timetables before my soup gets cold."

"It's ok" said Hermione sounding defeated. 

With that Professor McGonagall continued her round with the timetables.

"Ohh no!" said Hermione when she had gone "How am I going to say this?" There was that tell tail note of despair in her voice. Despite Ron and Harry's attempts to cheer her up she could not be consoled. Eventually giving up Ron turned to his timetable.

"No luck! We're with the Slytherins for potions."

"And we've still got that double potions period last thing on a Friday." Said Hermione gloomily.

"I really wish we could drop divination." Said Harry mournfully "If Professor Trelawney predicts my death again I'm going to throw her out of her tower window."

"So the next time she predicts it she'll be right, will she?" said Ron with a laugh.

The feast was delicious. When everyone had finished the first course the bowls filled themselves again with chocolate gateau and custard. The hall echoed with the clattering of spoons and the noisy chatter of pupils enjoying themselves. Harry and Ron gobbled down every last morsel of cake and talked avidly. Hermione, However, was taking a far more conservative approach to desert and did not talk much.

"Aww, Cheer up Hermione! It's not really all that bad." Said Ron trying in vane to reassure her. She smiled thinly but said nothing. She made a half hearted attempt at eating her custard before setting down her spoon. Just then the remnants of the food and the dregs of the pumpkin juice disappeared just as suddenly as they had appeared leaving behind them the spotless bone dry plates goblets and bowls. Dumbledore rose once more and the hall fell silent.

"There are a few notices. However, before I announce these I would like to introduce you all to our new member of staff, he is a great friend of mine who I myself taught many years ago. Professor Pajaro will be joining us as our new defense against the dark arts teacher!" The school gave their new member a warm clap and he raised his glass of wine in acknowledgment. 

"Now that we have all had our fill, there are a few notices which I would like to announce. Firstly, I regret to inform fifth years that it has been my decision to change the school policy with regard to becoming prefects. Fifth years are no-longer to be considered for this position." There were a great many gasps and some upcry. Hermione however grinned broadly. Ron and Harry sighed in relief, they couldn't believe their luck - Hermione would have no reason to sulk any longer.

"I have effected this change because I do not feel that you are old enough, and in many respects, responsible enough" Dumbledore's eye rested briefly on the Slytherin table, where Harry noticed Malfoy was now sitting looking pale and very shaky, "Pupils from fifth year upwards, that is those who are sitting external examinations, will all have two periods a week of compulsory ADT – Anti Dark-Arts Training. This class is not examined externally. There are no more notices at this moment. May I wish all the new faces, and indeed the rest of the new pupils, the best of luck and hope that you will all find friendship and happiness within these walls. The prefects will lead you back to your dormitories, and I hope you will awake refreshed and ready to learn tomorrow. May I also urge you to remember the school motto – _Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus_ – Never tickle sleeping dragons." 

Harry allowed the himself to be swept with the crowd away from the table, into the entrance hall, up the wide flight of marble stairs. After a trek through a long procession of torch-lit corridors lined with suits of armor and grand staircases they reached the corridor in which the secret entrance to the Gryffindor common room was concealed behind an oil painting of a fat lady. A few Gryffindors who had already reached the portrait stood waiting outside the door. Harry was used to this phenomenon – only prefects knew what the password would be.

"What's the new password?" Harry asked a tall sixth year next to him

"It's _horntail_ but that won't help you much" he said pointing towards the portrait of the fat lady. Or at least the picture should have been of the fat lady, but she appeared to be off visiting someone in one of the schools other paintings having left behind her only a static background and the intricate frame. Harry waited impatiently in the growing crowd of Gryffindors desperate to get into their common room.

"Harry!" shouted Fred in a loud whisper he motioned for Harry tear away from the crowd and talk to him. Slipping through the crowd Harry eventually reached him.

"Harry, we're going to head down to the kitchens to get stuff for the house-championship party." Said George when Harry reached them (Fred and George were a unit and were rarely seen apart. Someone once said 'Where there's smoke there's fire' – well equally where there is Fred there's George.).

"yes…" said Harry guardedly sensing that this was leading up to something.

"Well we don't want Gregor Michleson to see us, do we?"

"Who's Gregor Michleson?" asked Harry sounding confused, he had never heard of Gregor Michleson.

"He's the nearest thing Hogwarts could find to a Percy replacement and he seems to think that it's a personal insult if we chose to sneak around the place and do things."

"How can you say that? We only came here a few hours ago!" 

Harry was genuinely perplexed. Fred and George were usually known to be a little reckless, after all they had once tried to send him a toilet seat when he was in the hospital wing, however this was something very unusual.

"He caught us trying to sneak some cake out of the hall."

"Surely he wouldn't have stopped you for that?" asked Harry, who couldn't believe anyone would be so pedantic.

"He did." Said George in outrage.

"Mind you, it was a rather large piece." added Fred.

"How large?" asked Harry.

"Well it was quite big now that you mention it, Fred and I nearly broke our backs trying to…but that's not the point Harry." Said Fred deciding a change of tactic was necessary "You know we only did it for the good of the house. The house needs a party and we're going to make sure they get it."

"Why don't you go to the kitchens now then? Surely he won't object to that."

Just then a tall sixth year boy turned rounded a corner near them

"What are you three boys up to?" said the sixth year, who's robe Harry noticed bore the 'Head Boy' badge.

"Nothing, just , ehm, talking to Harry - Gregor" said George startled.

"I see." Said the boy Harry presumed was Gregor Michleson "What's everyone doing out here?"

"The fat lady's gone." Said Harry glad of the change of subject. Gregor gave Harry a disapproving stare probably as much because he had wanted a chance to 


End file.
